Bhopal, Apr 17 (PTI) Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi on Thursday reviewed the operational preparedness of the Sudarshan Chakra Corps and honoured five veterans for their continued contribution to society and nation-building.

The Bhopal-headquartered XXI Corps or Sudarshan Chakra Corps, a strike unit of the Indian Army and is capable of conducting operations deep into enemy territory.

“The COAS undertook a comprehensive review of the operational preparedness of the Sudarshan Chakra Corps, reinforcing the Indian Army’s steadfast commitment to high combat readiness, innovation and professional excellence,” the Army said in a release.

Dwivedi was briefed on ongoing initiatives and the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies. The COAS also interacted with troops and praised their focus on operational efficiency, adaptive training, and battlefield innovation, it said.

He also felicitated five veterans with the Veteran Achiever Award for their continued contribution to society and nation-building.

Those honoured include Brigadier Ramnarayan Vinayak, VSM (Retd), who has established a Directorate General of Resettlement-sponsored security agency employing more than 300 veterans.

He has enabled Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) benefits for “Veer Naris” of 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars, and advocated for liberalised family pensions, the release said.

Colonel Vaibhav Prakash Tripathi (Retd), vice president of the Madhya Pradesh Ex-Servicemen League, is associated with ‘Ojas Shikshan evam Prashikshan Sansthan’ in Betul, a veteran-run institute that trains tribal youth aspiring to join the defence forces.

Colonel K P Singh (Retd), known for his legal support to veterans and widows, facilitates biometric life certification and SPARSH issue resolution, the release said.

Naik Anil Kumar Verma (Retd) has converted his ancestral home into a girls’ hostel and founded a school for underprivileged tribal children in Bilaspur, which has been achieving remarkable board results, the release said.

Lance Dafadar Pradeep Kalaskar (Retd) actively helps resolve pension and financial issues of ex-servicemen. He once risked his life to save five individuals from a fire. He has also been honoured as ‘Vrikshamitra’ for planting over 1,000 saplings, the release said.

General Dwivedi visited Yodhasthal, which offers an immersive and educational experience to the public to promote civil-military cooperation and inspire future generations, it added. PTI MAS NR